Thursday, August 2, 2018

The Singapore Toy, Games and Comic Convention (STGCC) must be rather lucrative for comic book artists. Their booths are usually swarmed with fans from Red Dot Island as well as those who check in from countries around the region, where it is difficult to meet well-known comic creators face to face.

Coming back to this year's convention are last year's guests Frank Cho, Arthur Adams and Joyce Chin, as well as Agnes Garbowska! Fans who missed meeting them in previous shows, can have another chance to get their comics signed or request for commissions and sketches.

It was in 2015 when fan favourite Agnes Garbowska was a guest at the convetion. Her
whimsical, uber-cute drawings were a hit, especially with the younger folks, and the lines at her booth were mostly 20 people deep most of the time! Her style of art shines in titles like "DC Super Hero Girls" (DC Comics), "My Little Pony" (IDW Publishing) and "Grumpy Cat" (Dynamite).

When we last met Frank Cho, he had just kicked off a new fantasy series called "Skybourne" with BOOM! Studios. The 5-issue comic series wrapped up in February this year. He is currently working on several other creator-owned projects, including "Guns & Dinos" with Image Comics and "War Witch" with novelist Tom Sniegoski for Big Wow Publications.

Veteran comic book artist Arthur Adams will be meeting fans again, bringing with him his knowledge of the industry and art that spans across various publishing houses, like Marvel, DC Comics, Image and Dark Horse. He also founded a creator-owned comics imprint called Legend together with Mike Mignola, Frank Miller, John Byrne. The imprint was published through Dark Horse Comics before it ceased in 1998. His creator-owned "Monkeyman and O'Brien" from the Legend days still exists in various crossovers.

Joyce Chin is like a senpai to aspiring women artists who want to enter into the field of comic book art. She has been drawing for comics since 1995 and has worked for several titles like DC Comics, Marvel, Top Cow and Dynamite, like Vampirella, Red Sonja, Spider-man, Witchblade and Wynonna Earp, which is based on the supernatural Western horror TV series.

In early December 2017, STGCC announced that the 11th edition of the "East meets West" pop-culture convention will be held on 8 - 9 September 2018. Amongst the sea of anime/ manga/ cosplay conventions held in Red Dot Island throughout the ye ar, STGCC is the largest show that has a higher focus on Westernized properties, with high-profile guests who have worked with DC Comics, Marvel, IDW, Image and more.

Last year, with Star Wars as one of Red Dot Island's tourism initiatives made with Disney, the show also drew in props and set reconstructions by the Belgian Costume Division vzw, and guests from Disney and Lucasfilm.

There was also a section called the Good Game Experience or GGXP, which offered gaming enthusiasts their own base to duke it out in tournaments and try out new games. It had been a long time since the "G" alphabet of STGCC was given a fair share of representation.

Friday, September 8, 2017

STGCC, the largest Western pop-culture event of the year in Red Dot Island, will be opening its doors just a few hours away.

At the media preview which was held at Central Perk SG yesterday, ReedPop mentioned that the for its 10th Anniversary, the convention has expanded to 1 more hall, to encompass the new zones like the Good Game Experience (GGXP) and Akiba Zone, which focuses on cosplay and Japanese subculture.

For years, the "games" segment which is mentioned in the STGCC brand name, has been notably absent. With the GGXP area, the organizers making their bid to get the industry back into the fold. Within the area, fans can try their hands on games developed by local and regional publishers, including titles like Pokemon Trading Card Game as well as other card, computer, mobile phone games as well as immersive VR experiences. There will also be a few hardcofe esports tournaments held live there.

The show's floor plan is also heavily segmented into different types, with attendees getting hit with "retail therapy" first before they arrive at the Star Wars "Experience The Force" section, main stage and Artist Alley area. Certain parts of the show are only available to fans depending on the types of tickets they purchase. Hopefully, this will allow fans to maximize their different enjoyment at STGCC, depending on their interests.

On site to meet the invited media at the preview yesterday were several STGCC featured guests. Popular comic book artist Frank Cho had many of the media folks and fellow guests gushing over how his creative works had inspired them. To have him at STGCC may be the one and only chance that some of the local and regional fans will be able to meet him in person.

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

A couple of years ago, comic book artist and creator Frank Cho was flung headlong into controversy when a segment of fans went nuclear over his Milo Manara spoof sketch cover of Spider-Gwen. A discussion about misogyny and "appropriate depictions" of female characters in the comic book industry, exploded all over the internet. It seemed like everyone and anyone had something to say about Frank Cho's art choices.

The intense backlash has not hurt Frank Cho's career, and he probably has not stopped trolling his haters ever since. Many may find his sense of humour and cheesecake art offensive, but Frank Cho is also a wonderful writer, and recently, he has been concentrating on his own creative works.

With "Skybourne", a five-issue series published by BOOM! Studios, Frank Cho puts his own spin to the Arthurian legend, and propels it to the modern times. "Skybourne" is his first creator-own publication since popular comic strip "Liberty Meadows", and the fantasy-adventure tale has been very well received by readers and critics.

Other projects include "Guns & Dinos" at Image Comics, and "World of Payne" with novelist Tom Sniegoski for Flesk Publications. He is also the cover artist for DC Comics' "Harley Quinn".

Sunday, June 11, 2017

The Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention is celebrating its 10th birthday this year, and the 1st batch of guests has already been announced. The local pop culture event returns at MBS' Expo & Convention Centre, Halls D to F, on 9 & 10th September 2017.

The weekend coincides with another event called Chara Expo, which is held at Suntec Convention Centre. However, for those who are more interested in designer toys and Western-based stuff, STGCC is still the place to be!

The first few guests officially announced by STGCC will please many local and regional fans.

Heading his way to Red Dot Island is writer/ artist Frank Cho. Frank Cho has drawn for several comic book titles, like Marvel's "Mighty Avengers" and "The Hulk", DC Comic's current "Harley Quinn" as well as worked on creator-owned projects like "Skybourne" published by Boom! Studios, and "World of Payne" together with writer Tom Sniegoski for Flesh Publications.

Known for his mature, cheesecake style art, Frank Cho has stirred up a series of controversies lately. There was that feud with writer Greg Rucka concerning the censorship of his Wonder Woman Rebirth variant cover art, and his questionable depictions of teenage female superheroes, like Spider-Gwen and The Unstoppable Wasp. Still, Red Dot Diva is pretty sure that would not stop his fans here from swarming his booth for sketches and autographs.